Verbena plant named ‘Lan Roypureye’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Verbena  plant named ‘Lan Roypureye’, characterized by its compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant habit; freely branching habit; early and uniform flowering habit and dark purple-colored flowers with distinct white-colored centers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Verbena hybrida cultivarLan Roypureye.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Verbenaplant, botanically known as Verbena hybrida, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Lan Roypureye’.

The new Verbena is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Gilroy, Calif. The objective of the breeding program isto develop new compact Verbena cultivars with early and uniformflowering, good basal branching, attractive flower and foliagecoloration, and tolerance to Powdery Mildew.

The new Verbena originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin May, 2000 of a proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified ascode number 99-980-2, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent witha proprietary Verbena hybrida selection identified as code number99-978-1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar LanRoypureye was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a floweringplant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Gilroy, Calif. in January, 2001.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in Gilroy,Calif., since January, 2001 has shown that the unique features of thisnew Verbena are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Lan Roypureye’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Lan Roypureye’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent plant        habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Early and uniform flowering habit.    -   4. Dark purple-colored flowers with distinct white-colored        centers.    -   5. Relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the female parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more compact and upright than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena had distinct        white-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of the female        parent selection did not have distinct white-colored centers.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of thenew Verbena differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were darker purple in        color than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Verbena can be compared to plants of the cultivar LanDepur, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application No. 10/818,496. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the newVerbena differed from plants of the cultivar Lan Depur primarily inflower color as plants of the new Verbena had more distinctwhite-colored centers than plants of the cultivar Lan Depur.

The new Verbena can be compared to the cultivar, USBENAL25, disclosed inU.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 10/638,688. However, inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Gilroy, Calif., plants of the newVerbena differed from plants of the cultivar USBENAL25 in the followingcharacteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Verbena were more vigorous than plants of        the cultivar USBENAL25.    -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Verbena were lighter green in        color than leaves of plants of the cultivar USBENAL25.    -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena were fuller and more        rounded than flowers than plants of the cultivar USBENAL25.    -   4. Flowers of plants of the new Verbena had distinct        white-colored centers whereas flowers of plants of the cultivar        USBENAL25 did not have distinct white-colored centers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Lan Roypureye’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers racemes and leaves of ‘Lan Roypureye’.

Flower and foliage colors in the photographs may differ slightly fromthe color values cited in the detailed botanical description whichaccurately describe the colors of the new Verbena.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Lan Roypureye have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown in Gilroy, Calif., under commercial practice in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the summer with day temperaturesabout 24 to 32° C., night temperatures about 13 to 18° C. and lightlevels about 2,000 foot-candles. Plants used for the photographs anddescription were about twelve weeks from planting rooted cuttings andwere pinched twice. In the following description, color references aremade to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition,except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Verbena hybrida cultivar Lan Roypureye.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida            selection identified as code number 99-980-2, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Verbena hybrida            selection identified as code number 99-978-1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About 7 to 10 days at 22 to 24° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting or liner.—About three to            four weeks at 22 to 24° C.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact, low and outwardly spreading, and decumbent            plant habit.        -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely-branching            with about twelve main stems and multiple secondary lateral            branches.        -   Plant height.—About 14 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 69 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 48 cm. Diameter: About            2.5 mm. Internode length: Vegetative branches, about 2 cm;            reproductive branches, about 4 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Opposite, simple. Length:            About 3.8 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Deltoid. Apex:            Broadly acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Broadly crenate.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Slightly coarse,            pubescent. Venation pattern: Pinnate, netted. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: 146A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 147B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            147A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation,            upper and lower surfaces: 147C. Petiole: Length: About 6 mm.            Diameter: About 2 mm. Color: 147C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single upright salverform flowers            arranged on terminal racemes; flowers sessile. Freely            flowering with about 22 flowers per raceme; about three            racemes per lateral branch. Inflorescences positioned above            and beyond the foliage. Flowers last about five to seven            days under greenhouse conditions. Flowers not persistent.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering season.—In the garden, flowering is continuous            from spring until fall.        -   Inflorescence size.—Height: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About            6.5 cm.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 2.2 cm. Tube length: About 2.8            cm.        -   Flowers buds.—Length: About 1.3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.            Shape: Tubular. Color: 79A.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower fused at base.            Lobe length: About 1 cm. Lobe width: About 9 mm. Shape:            Cordate. Apex: Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Velvety, smooth. Color: When opening,            upper surface: Brighter than 79A. When opening, lower            surface: 83B. Fully opened, upper surface: Brighter than            49A; towards the center, close to 155A. With development,            towards the apex, closer to 83A. Fully opened, lower            surface: 83C. Throat: Close to 150C.        -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five, fused into a tube.            Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm. Shape:            Ligulate. Apex: Acuminate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Coarse, pubescent. Color, upper surface:            147B. Color, lower surface: 147C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 8.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm.            Angle: Upright or curving upward on horizontal stems.            Strength: Strong. Color: 146A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Four. Anther shape:            Ovoid. Anther length: Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 150A.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 1A. Pistils: Quantity:            One. Pistil length: About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.            Stigma color: 145A. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color:            146D. Ovary color: 145A.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Verbena have been    observed to be relatively less susceptible to Powdery Mildew. Plants    of the new Verbena have not been observed to be resistant to other    pathogens and pests common to Verbena.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Verbena have been observed    to be tolerant to temperatures ranging from 2 to 40° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Verbena plant named ‘Lan Roypureye’,as illustrated and described.